State of Japan

Japan 日本国 (Japanese) Nippon-koku Nihon-koku
Flag Imperial Seal
Anthem:  "Kimigayo" 君が代 "His Imperial Majesty's Reign"
Government Seal of Japan Go-Shichi no Kiri (五七桐)
Area controlled by Japan shown in green
Capital and largest city	Tokyo 35°41′N 139°46′E / 35.683°N 139.767°E / 35.683; 139.767
Official languages	None
Recognised regional languages	11 languages Ainu Itak Amami Ōshima Kikai Kunigami Miyako Okinawan Okinoerabu Tokunoshima Yaeyama Yonaguni Yoron
National language	Japanese
Ethnic groups (2011)	98.5% Japanese 0.5% Korean 0.4% Chinese 0.6% other
Religion	51.82% Shinto 34.9% Buddhism 4% Shinto sects 2.3% Christianity 6.98% No answer
Demonym	Japanese
Government	Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
• Emperor	Akihito
• Prime Minister	Shinzō Abe
• Deputy Prime Minister	Tarō Asō
Legislature	National Diet
• Upper house	House of Councillors
• Lower house	House of Representatives
Formation
• National Foundation Day	February 11, 660 BCE
• Meiji Constitution	November 29, 1890
• Current constitution	May 3, 1947
• San Francisco Peace Treaty	April 28, 1952
• National Flag and Anthem's Act	August 13, 1999
Area
• Total	377,972.28 km2 (145,935.91 sq mi) (62nd)
• Water (%)	0.8
Population
• 2017 census	126,760,000 (10th)
• Density	336/km2 (870.2/sq mi) (36th)
GDP (PPP)	2017 estimate
• Total	$5.420 trillion (4th)
• Per capita	$42,860 (27th)
GDP (nominal)	2017 estimate
• Total	$4.841 trillion (3rd)
• Per capita	$38,281 (20th)
Gini (2008)	37.6 medium · 76th
HDI (2015)	0.903 very high · 17th
Currency	Yen (¥) / En 円 (JPY)
Time zone	JST (UTC+9)
• Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC+9)
Date format	yyyy-mm-dd yyyy年m月d日 Era yy年m月d日 (CE−1988)
Drives on the	left
Calling code	+81
ISO 3166 code	JP
Internet TLD	.jp
Website www.japan.go.jp

Coordinates: 35°N 136°E / 35°N 136°E / 35; 136

Japan (Japanese: 日本 Nippon [ɲip̚poɴ] or Nihon [ɲihoɴ]; formally 日本国  Nippon-koku or Nihon-koku, meaning "State of Japan") is a sovereign island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies off the eastern coast of the Asian mainland, and stretches from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the southwest.

The kanji that make up Japan's name mean "sun origin". 日 can be read as ni and means sun, while 本 can be read as hon, or pon and means origin. Japan is often referred to by the famous epithet "Land of the Rising Sun" in reference to its Japanese name.